Monday, May 9, 2011

Guy Fieri from the Food Network, that is!!! Every Derby my husband works celebrity security and the past few years he's had Guy Fieri. The first year he was in town, I was invited to hang out with them. In all the years of him doing it, no one ever invited me. I could've peed myself I was so excited. HOWEVER, I was stuck in the hospital 7 months pregnant on bedrest and was not allowed to go. Total heartbreak!! Last year, I was invited out again. You've got to be kidding me. I was called an hour before I was supposed to show up somewhere, was in my lounge clothes with no babysitter. Didn't happen. Super super super disappointed. I learn from my mistakes! This year, I had a babysitter lined up before I got the invite because I was not missing this chance again!!!

(I had already met Guy once before when his traveling road show came through town. We got to go backstage and hang out with him during his pre-show downtime.)

Oaks came, Jean & I went. Had fun, even though my nasal and chest congestion had me feeling not so great. I looked great though :) Derby came, got a text message from James with details, got myself all gussied up, went to get Jean and we headed downtown. Guy was cooking dinner in a social club's kitchen while his wife, a few of his crew, and some Patriot football players hung out in the VIP room waiting for guests to arrive. I met Guy's wife, Lori. She was real down to earth and had kind of a bad ass style. Then again, being married to Guy Fieri, you kind of need to. We met Glenn, one of his crew, who invited us to come down to his house(which is really Guy's guest house) and stay so we could visit Guy & California. You don't have to ask me twice, dude!!! Then Glenn took us to the kitchen where Guy was cooking. Got a hug from Guy & Kleetus, his sous chef. Again, both I had met before. Then we went back to the VIP room to drink on Guy's bar tab and watch the celeb's trinkle in. Here's the kicker though, this was their time to get away from crazy fans and just relax. That meant no pictures. I will have these memories forever, though and they are awesome!!! Let me tell you who had me star struck.....Christopher Maloni from Law & Order:SVU, Joey Fatone, Wynonna, Travis Tritt, Eddie Montgomery, Peppa from Salt N Peppa, the Dos Equus "Stay Thirsty My Friends" guy from the commercials, Taylor Dane, one of the guys from Boyz 2 Men, Bode Miller, and some other actors whose faces I recognized but couldn't tell you their names. It was awesome!!! Thanks Guy for a great night!!! Guy also invited us out to visit and I do not intend to let that invitation go to waste!!

Mother's Day was yesterday and for the 2nd year in a row I was sick. I loved being able to have my boys, but the day was just yucky all the way around. Better luck next year!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

This week really is the best time of the year to be from Louisville, KY. That's right, y'all, it's Derby Week!!! The city shuts down Friday and Saturday (they even close school Friday!) for Oaks and Derby. There's no stronger feeling of community here than during Derby Festival. Born and raised here allows me to view the Derby differently than those outside of the area, but my dad working at Churchill Downs and us getting a backside of the track front row seat for so many years adds to my excitement. Football stays on the tv during football season and James tries to sneak more basketball in than I'd care to see, but for me, it truly is the best two minutes in sports!!!

It also holds a special meaning for me because James proposed at Churchill Downs and we also were married there.